Anti-aircraft missiles have electro-optical guidance seeking devices for tracking an infrared or other wavelength radiation emitted from a targeted aircraft (e.g., heat radiating from an aircraft engine's tailpipe). Conventional military aircraft employ hydrocarbon jells, flares or pyrotechnic compositions to produce a thermal decoy signature to attract an approaching missile away from its intended target. While the duration and intensity of such thermal decoy signatures vary, the purpose is to provide enough cover so that the approaching missile losses its ability to accurately track the intended target at least temporarily as the targeted aircraft is flown out of the line of sight of the missile. One problem with the aforementioned thermal decoys is that as components fall to earth they may still radiate enough heat to ignite material such as, for example, grass, trees and buildings, in the area of impact.
Increasingly, concerns have been raised throughout the world about missile attacks against commercial and other non-military aircraft. Typically, such non-military aircraft do not employ any countermeasures to secure against such attack. Additionally, few commercial, non-military airfields employ any defensive measures to provide cover for aircraft taking off or landing at their facility.
Accordingly, that a need exists for countermeasures that employ safer means of forming thermal decoy signatures and for safe, cost-effective countermeasures that can be employed within both military and non-military environments. The present invention provides a solution to this important need.